Development projects for Anambra communities Ejike Anyaduba

Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra State
Anambra state government has mapped out over N3 billion for the development of the 177 communities in the state. Each of the communities is expected – after need assessment – to present a project or projects of their choice at the cost of N20 million each to be executed by the state and supervised jointly by both.
The effort will doubtless put these communities on a pedestal for expeditious growth. Though there were similar attempts in the past by the government to develop these communities most of which struggle daily against the basic needs of a progressive society such as pipe borne water, health centers, security, passable road, etc. But so far as the efforts went, not much was accomplished in terms of the objectives partly because the resources committed to the projects were not quite substantial, and scarcely deployed to choice development needs of the various communities.
Note – most of the work embarked upon were palliative, done especially on the treacherous communal roads and in propping up security. Unfortunately, some of the funds were never used for the purpose for which they were meant and the communities were not stirred to the level where meaningful development could effectively take place. Most of the problems have continued to linger till date with repulsive pertinacity. Perhaps, that explained why the Obiano government has decided to intervene directly, calling for projects from all the communities not more than N20 million each to be executed by it with active supervision from the benefitting communities and the state.
It is fairly reasonable to say that the idea of community development is not alien to the administration. Before this time, it has done a number of projects in the communities that helped to further rural development directly and indirectly. It has drilled community boreholes, built community health centres, activated palm oil processing factories, distributed super water pumping machines (which were given to co-operatives), built inter/intra community roads, furthered internal security etc. The idea behind the direct intervention is to bring development reasonably at par in almost all the 177 communities. This effort is no less complemented by the office of the First Lady which, through its non-governmental organization, the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFE), has brought development closer to rural dwellers, especially women. Through the effort of the organization, houses were built for indigent widows, conveniences were constructed across all the markets in the state, sanatorium was built for convalescing patients at Nteje, prostheses were procured for the physically challenged, workers were trained on various skills and equipped to be independent, among others. It is to the credit of the administration that even with the dwindling economy, which has since stalled development in many states and caused others to owe workers arrears of salaries, Anambra is investing such enormous fund in driving development in all its rural communities. This is in addition to the exponential growth which the administration has wrought in virtually all the sectors of the economy. By the last count, the investment profile of the state has pushed up to well over $3.5billion in agriculture, industrialization, housing, hospitality, education, transportation, etc. Certainly, there is no aspect of development that has not been touched in the two years Obiano has held sway as governor.
By the time all the 177 communities with their varied preferred project choices have been executed, half of the development needs of the state would have been dealt with. To that extent, the idea to give each and every community a project will not only bring about an expedited growth, but a comprehensive development to the state.
Ejike Anyaduba